Orca topiary 'Surfacing' returns to Victoria's downtown Tourists are flocking to Victoria to admire the orca topiary sculpture 'Surfacing', which has returned to its downtown location after spending the winter at the Beacon Hill Park Nursery. The sculpture, designed and constructed by artist Sandra Bilawich in 2010, is a popular tourist attraction. A towering mother and calf orca topiary, named ‘Surfacing’, has once again surfaced at the corner of Government and Humboldt streets in Victoria. The four-meter-tall, six-meter-long garden sculpture, designed and constructed by artist Sandra Bilawich in 2010, weighs more than 5,100 kilograms. The living sculpture spends the winter tucked away at the Beacon Hill Park Nursery, where City of Victoria staff lovingly maintain it before returning the duo to their downtown spot each spring. This year, the mom and calf duo emerged from hibernation May 15, carefully lowered into place by a crane truck.Tourists from around the world are stopping by to admire the sculpture, with visitors like Glen from Brisbane, Australia, and Laurie Hugill from California, United States, expressing their delight at the sight. Glen and her group were fresh off the Rocky Mountaineer and only had the day to explore Victoria before setting sail on a cruise to Alaska.Hugill, visiting for a “fabulous four” reunion with her Calgary cousins, was fascinated by the historic architecture scattered throughout the city and plans to visit Butchart Gardens, Fisherman’s Wharf, and James Bay. Melody Eldreth, visiting from Calgary, was impressed by the different foliage layered onto the structure of the sculpture.